


Losing You

by lemon413



Series: Angsty Avenger Fics [1]
Category: Iron Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Best Friends, Infidelity, M/M, May add more at a later date, mentioned past infidelity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-08-27 07:16:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8392258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemon413/pseuds/lemon413
Summary: “Today is the day when everything changes; one way or another. I have to know”





	

“ _Today is the day when everything changes; one way or another. I have to know”_ Was Tony’s thought as he watched the receptionist answer the phone. He started fumbling with the ring on his left finger, wondering if this would be the day he would actually have to take it off. He watched as the receptionist finished speaking on the phone. She looked at him with her eyes holding an indiscernible emotion.

“He will see you now, Mr. Stark.” She said

He nodded to her and whispered his thanks and stood up. He smoothed down his suit before shaking his thoughts away. He had to do this. He had to know. Tony walked into the room, looking at the man behind the desk as he gestured for Tony to sit in one of the chairs. He sat down and looked at the envelope that was between them on the desk. The man before him sat back and just looked at him.

“Do you really want to know? I’d understand if you didn’t.” He asked

Tony just stared at the envelope and felt trepidation flow through him. He could do this. He had to. He just had to open the envelope and see what was inside. He would finally find out the truth that Steve would not give him himself. He had to look.

“I’m good. Lay it on me detective.”

The private detective just raised an eyebrow at him and nodded.

“Well, the pictures really speak for themselves. Your husband has a routine set and he follows it every day except-“

Tony became desperate.

“No, don’t tell me. I can’t do this. I thought I could but I can’t right now.” Tony begged

“I understand.”

They both stood and the detective picked up the thick envelope and handed it over to him. Tony glanced at him before sighing and taking it.

“I know you don’t want to know but take this. In case you ever do want to know for sure. I know what’s like to hope that everything is fine and have everything turn out not to be.”

“I thank you for your time detective but everything IS fine. I know Steve. He would never do what I thought he had done to me. He’s not the type to cheat and everyone knows it. I’m being foolish, like my friends have told me. I’m just being paranoid.”

Tony looked at the envelope again. He started to give it back to the detective but he didn’t take it.

“Keep it, Mr. Stark. You may need to know what’s in it one day. Good day, and know that nothing I know will leave this room and get onto the media.” The detective assured.

“That was never in question, I know that you’re a professional in your work. Good bye.”

Tony left the room and went to the front desk to settle his bill. He walked to the garbage can and held the envelope over before bringing it back to his side. He’d keep it for now. He left the office behind.

When Tony arrived home, he went to the bedroom to change into his sweatpants and his Black Sabbath shirt before going to his workshop. He threw the envelope on his desk.

“JARVIS, is Steve home?” Tony was fretting and he knew it.

“No, sir. Sir Rogers has been gone for a few hours now. Shall I let you know when he arrives?”

“Yes please. Thanks buddy.”

He threw himself into work and before he knew it, it was time for dinner. Steve still hadn’t arrived. Tony glanced at the envelope and forced himself out the door and to the kitchen

He needed to get out of the house and decided to walk to his favorite pizza parlor to clear his mind.

Tony got their favorite and by the time he arrived home, it was cold but Tony was warmed when he saw that Steve was there. His husband was just putting his coat on the rack when Tony walked in. Steve noticed him and gifted him with a bright smile. He walked towards Tony and brought him in quite a passionate kiss that left them both breathless when they pulled apart. Tony put the pizza on the table then brought their mouths together again.

“I love you, Steve. So much.”

Steve smiled at him again. Tony found no guilt in his expression and he found his worries settled. Pepper was right; Steve would never cheat on him. Steve kissed him again before backing him up to the bedroom and closed the door behind them.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Two weeks later, Tony was attempting to cook their anniversary dinner and he was content. He didn’t get rid of the envelope but he never looked at it either. Things between them were great despite Steve’s disappearances every now and then. He still wondered but every time he thought of Steve’s supposed infidelity he pushed it back. He decided he didn’t care. He heard the door open and smiled at the steaks sizzling on the pan. Steve was home. He heard his love walk to their bedroom, probably changing before Steve went down some stairs. Tony frowned in thought about where Steve could be going before deciding that he was going to the workshop to find Tony. He went back to pushing at the steaks.

“Sir, sir Rogers is coming to the kitchen”

“Okay. Thank you.”

Tony put the steaks on their respective plates and loaded them with some fries and veggies just as the door opened. Tony turned around and showed them to Steve who had his hands behind his back. Tony grinned.

“Happy Anniversary Hun. I cooked this myself and it will be delicious.”

“ _I hope.”_ He thought as he put the plates down and lit the candles. His gift to Steve was sitting on the table with a blue bow fashioned around it. Tony had been up the last few days building it and he thought it was perfect. He gestures at Steve to sit but frowned when he didn’t take the seat.

“Tony, what are these? Did you have me followed? Why would you do this?”

Steve brought what he was hiding behind his back around and Tony’s stomach dropped as he looked at the pictures. Tony walked closer to him and took the photos that were held out. He turned them around and stared at the picture of his husband in a compromising position with Sharon Carter. Each photo was similar and in some Steve’s expression was full of love. Tony felt tears build up as he realized that Steve had stopped looking at him like that a year ago. He looked back up at Steve with betrayal, watching as Steve’s eyes widened.

“You haven’t seen these have you? You have to know that they’re fake, Tony. I would never do this to you! I love you so much! Someone is wanting to put you against me!”

A few tears fell.

“Did you know that I haven’t heard you say I love you in months? I can’t believe I didn’t notice that until now.” Steve tried to interrupt but Tony held up a hand.

“No, I haven’t seen those but they are real. Steve… This passed year has been so hard. I felt you pulling away little by little everyday and I didn’t know why. A few weeks ago, I decided to hire someone to follow you because I had to know if our marriage was over but when I got that envelope… I couldn’t look at them. I told myself that if you’d never cheat on me but if you did, you would tell me right away. I earned the truth from you, didn’t I? It’s funny how everyone at the wedding told me that if I ever cheated on you, they’d kill me? Except from Rhodey of course, he knows that I give any relationship my all. You never got that talk did you? I even got that talk from _her._ Were you fucking _her_ even then?”

Tony gave self-depreciating laugh. He looked at Steve and found him looking at the ground before he looked back at Tony with determination. Tony knew what he was about to say and got angry.

“For god’s sake, stop fucking lying for once in your life. You did this, Steve! You want to be with her? Go right ahead! I can’t do this anymore. I thought I could pretend everything was okay but now that I’ve seen these, I can’t. You’re not in love with me; you’re in love with her. I know you too well and I’ve seen that expression in your eyes. Just leave.”

Tony looked at their cold meal and thought of all the affection and time he had put into it. He heard Steve draw in a shaky breath before speaking.

“Tony, somebody or Loki-“

Tony had to interrupt.

“Fuck you, Steve. You’re still lying to me and I’m tired of it. After all we’ve been through together, I still haven’t earned the truth from you? Thor told us that Loki is dead and, again, I know you and the guy in the picture is, in fact, you breaking my heart not Loki and you know it. Don’t place the blame on a dead guy. How long have you been with her? ”

Steve sighed and Tony could see the fight leave him. Steve looked at him again and Tony could see the guilt everywhere. God, he just wanted to leave. He needed to know though.

“Sharon and I were together once before we got married but I told her it was over because it may not seem like it now, but I was in love with you. Only you. God Tony, I loved you so much and it felt so right marrying you. I don’t know, I think I just lost that thought somewhere? Can’t we make it work? I’ll break it off right away. Please?” Steve begged, hoping that he would take him back.

Tony turned back to the photos and picked up one where the two were out to dinner and Steve had that adoring look in his eyes.

“Steve, look at this picture. This is the reason we can’t be together anymore. Don’t talk. Now get out.”

With that Tony turned away and threw the meals into the garbage. Wasteful. He put the dishes in the sink then put his hands on either side of it. He stared out the window and heared Steve walk out the door. By the time he moved, it was 3am. He glanced around him and looked at Steve and his wedding photo. His eyes filled with tears before he practically ran to his workshop. He told JARVIS to ready the suit.

“Sir, I’d really advise-”

“JARVIS, I really don’t care about anything right now. I need to see Rhodey. Don’t. Just don’t. Get me to Rhodey's. Please! That’s an order.”

“Of course, sir.”

Feeling the suit wrap around him, Tony let out a sigh in relief as JARVIS flew him to his wanted destination.

After ten minutes, Tony was finally touched down on his friends’ doorsteps. JARVIS unlocked the suit and it followed him as Tony buzzed Rhodey’s apartment number. It took a few minutes, Tony assumed that he was just waking up, before he heard the telltale click. He rode the elevator up the floors then knocked and waited. The door was opened and James “Rhodey” Rhodes appeared, looking haggard and alarmed.

“Tony? It’s too early for this, go away.”

He heard a sob and Rhodey looked at his best friends’ face. He saw the tears that he was trying to hold in. His sleep-clogged brain was quickly cleared.

“Are you okay? Where’s Steve?” He asked

Tony let out another sob at that name but the tears still wouldn’t fall.

“What did that fucker do Tony?” Rhodey was so angry now but at this moment he had to take care of Tony, his best friend, and secret love, of many years. He quickly took Tony into his arms and felt him shake against his body, finally letting go. James led him and the suit into the house, closed and locked the door behind him. JARVIS moved the suit to the other side of the room and stayed there. Rhodey brought Tony to his bedroom and gently laid on the bed with Tony in his arms. He kissed Tony’s forehead and looked at him. Tony’s expression broke his heart; He was exhausted.

“It’s okay. Go to sleep. Tell me everything in the morning.”

Tony curled closer to him and Rhodey wrapped his arms around him as Tony tucked his head into Rhodey’s shoulder. He watched Tony fall asleep and tightened arms a bit. He closed his eyes and felt, very guiltily, content.

The next day, Tony woke up warm for the first time in a long while. He sighed and burrowed closer to the body around him. He felt the arms tighten around him and Tony felt confused. Steve was never there when he woke up, let alone with his arms around him. That thought made him remember what happened and where he was. Rhodey must have felt him more as he felt hands start rubbing his back.

“Tony? Can you tell me what happened?”

“Nothing Rhodes. I’m fine. Steve and I just had a fight last night.” He lied. He heard Rhodey sigh.

“Tones, I know when you’re lying and you were too upset last night for just ‘fighting’. What happened? Tell me?”

Tony pulled back and sat on the edge of the bed. He put his head in his hands.

“Remember about four months ago when I told you that I thought that Steve was cheating on me?”

Not waiting for a response, Tony continued.

“Well, three weeks ago I was impulsive and hired a private detective… I know that I shouldn’t of but I had this feeling that Steve would never tell me the truth. A week later he called me in but when I was there, I decided I was being stupid and I didn’t look at the pictures. Steve found them yesterday and confronted me with them. They showed him having sex with Sharon… and them going on dates, and whatever. I just wanted to get away from that.”

Rhodey was stunned and furious. He shuffled closer to Tony and wrapped him in his arms once again.

“You’re staying here. No buts no protests, okay? You don’t need to go back to that place until you’re ready. You hear me?”

He felt Tony nod.

“Good. Now, I’m going to make us some breakfast. You stay here and rest, I’ll be right back.”

With that, Rhodey stood up and walked out the door. Tony lied back down and just breathed. He brought Rhodey’s pillow closer and hugged it to his chest. He closed his eyes, falling asleep with the scent of his honey bears’ comforting scent filling his nose.

James decided to make some eggs with toast and bacon for them. When he was done, he set everything in a plate and got two cups of coffee. He put everything on a tray and brought it into the bedroom. As soon as he entered the room, James saw Tony curled up with his pillow and snoring slightly. At the sight, he gave a fond smile and placed the food on his desk. James walked to the bed, softly sitting down before running his hand through Tony’s brown hair. He took in his peaceful expression and placed another kiss on Tony’s cheek.

“I love you Tony. Always.” He whispered.

He watched for a few minutes more before rage filled him. He calmly got up, ate his breakfast, drank the coffee, got dressed, and then wrote a note for Tony. He glanced at him once more before walking out the bedroom. Nodding at JARVIS, James put his coat on and stalked out the front door. JARVIS gave a chuckle but stayed where he was. He would know if sir needed anything.

Once again, Tony woke up disoriented and looked around his surroundings. He looked out the window and saw that it was dark out. He noticed the tray with breakfast and a cup of coffee on the desk. Tony got up and felt the cup. Cold. He walked to kitchen and saw that the coffee maker was still on, after all this time. He was pouring himself his second cup when he heard the door upon and close. He didn’t turn back but he did hear rummaging in a cupboard and a sink being turned on. Curious, Tony set the cup down and followed the sound to the bathroom where he saw Rhodey running his bloody hand through the running water. Jogging closer, Tony noticed a first aid and quickly located antiseptic, gauze and medical wrap. He took Rhodey’s hand and glanced at the broken skin. As he poured the antiseptic on his knuckles, he spoke to Rhodey.

“Honey bear, what did you do?”

Rhodey glanced down at his hand and grimaced.

“I located Rogers and yelled at him. Then I decided to punch him in the face.”

The corner of Tony's mouth quirked up before he wiped the wounds with gauze and wrapped his hand. He held Rhodey’s hand and looked up at him.

“Thank you James.”

Rhodeys’ eyes were soft as he looked back at him.

“Anytime Tony. I’ll always have your back.”

 

 

AN: So… this happened. I don’t why but it did. I'm sorry for any mistakes, I did read over this a few times but i know that I probably missed some. I hope y’all liked it!

 

 

 


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